Khanna police and officials from the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) on Monday demolished a significant portion of an illegal construction associated with Gurdeep Singh Rano, a former village headman and an alleged key figure in a multi-crore drug trafficking network. The operation targeted Rano’s palatial residence located in Rano village, Payal tehsil, within the Ludhiana district of Punjab.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) declared a substantial part of the sprawling property, which covers approximately 11 kanal and 11 marla, as illegal before proceeding with its demolition in adherence to established regulations. This action underscores the intensified efforts by Punjab authorities to dismantle drug trafficking operations and seize assets believed to have been acquired through illicit means.
District Town Planner (Regulatory) for GLADA, Pradeep Kumar, stated that the demolition was carried out under the directives of Additional Chief Administrator, GLADA, Vikas Hira, and in alignment with government guidelines. A dedicated team from GLADA Ludhiana, supported by a contingent of the Khanna district police force, executed the razing of the unauthorised construction belonging to Gurdeep Singh Rano. Comprehensive security arrangements were reportedly in place, with police personnel strategically positioned throughout the property to ensure the operation proceeded without any disruptions or untoward incidents.
Hermanpreet Singh Cheema, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) for Payal, detailed that Gurdeep Singh Rano faces at least 10 registered cases, encompassing charges related to drug smuggling and other serious offences. He reiterated the Punjab government’s firm stance, emphasizing that drug traffickers would face stringent consequences. Beyond pursuing legal justice against individuals involved in the drug trade, authorities are actively targeting properties that are believed to have been financed by proceeds from illegal drug activities.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Khanna, Dr. Ahluwalia, noted that in recent months, properties valued in crores of rupees have been attached across the district. He added that the police have been provided with the necessary resources and support to demolish several illegal constructions identified as being linked to criminal activities. The SSP elaborated on the police strategy, which not only focuses on apprehending drug smugglers but also on dismantling their financial infrastructures through targeted actions against their assets and ill-gotten gains.
The SSP further highlighted that the police department is simultaneously implementing a special campaign aimed at rehabilitating young individuals affected by drug addiction. This initiative involves facilitating their admission to de-addiction centers for treatment and providing support to help them reintegrate into society. This dual approach seeks to address both the supply and demand sides of the drug problem, alongside measures to disrupt the financial networks of traffickers.
According to police officials, Gurdeep Singh Rano was apprehended by the Special Task Force (STF) in 2020. At the time of his arrest, a significant quantity of heroin, estimated to be around five kilograms, was seized. Investigations following his arrest reportedly uncovered a large drug trafficking network with suspected cross-border connections, leading to the exposure of several key aspects of the operation and implicating various individuals.
This incident follows a prior attempt to assess the scale of Rano’s assets. In March 2026, a joint team comprising GLADA officials and police personnel had visited Rano’s luxury mansion to conduct on-site measurements of the entire property, including its boundary walls, as part of the ongoing scrutiny of potentially illegal structures.
The Chenab Times News Desk